Atheist rights of passage will aim to inspire global change

Yonah Ariel’s family is Jewish but instead of marking hs 13th birthday with a bar mitzvah and traditional party, the atheist decided that he wanted an alternate rite of passage – a biking trip with his family across the country.

His father said “It will be a wonderful and learn a lot about ourselves.”

In addition to family bonding, though, the Ariels hope to inspire global change and to teach their children about civic action and politics. Along with their family, they are bringing a petition on global warming to Washington, D.C. The petition, which the family wrote together, urges the United States government and its citizens to do things such as promoting non-fossil fuels, adopting conservation as an energy solution, raising automobile mileage standards to 40 miles per gallon and planting one billion trees. Read California Aggie article